UK defence secretary thanks military personnel tackling Daesh

UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon on Sunday thanked personnel directly involved in the fight against Daesh during a trip to RAF Akrotiri.
During his second visit to Cyprus, Fallon met RAF personnel from 903 Expeditionary Air Wing who are providing the UK's contribution to coalition air operations against Daesh.
He discussed the campaign and spoke to the pilots who are flying twice daily missions as the UK continues to make the second largest contribution to coalition airstrikes in support of Iraqi forces.
The Defence Secretary also met troops from 2nd Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, and received a briefing on the key role they are playing in the training programme to build the capacity of the Iraqi Security Forces.
So far over 1000 Kurdish Peshmerga have completed training and the UK will lead the Coalition's counter-IED training programme which is due to start this month.
"I am proud of the work the 400 personnel based here are doing to help the Iraqi Government to defend their country against Daesh 'cancer'," Fallon said.
"While this fight will take time, the coalition's airstrikes are having a direct effect in supporting Iraqi ground operations against Daesh," he added.